Star Wars prequel bashing has become something of its own sub genre over the years. While the blame for the less than stellar series has been laid at the feet of many a person (or gungan), one actor who has stayed remarkably clean is Ewan McGregor. His portrayal of the young Obi-Wan Kenobi is viewed by many (us included) as one of the highlights of the series. So when he says he’d be interested in returning to the role in future films, we’re hoping his phone is already ringing.
In an interview with the U.K.’s Daily Record McGregor isn’t even coy when asked about returning to the role of Obi-Wan for films that take place between the two trilogies, he wants it:
I'd be happy to do the story from episodes three where I finish up and Alec Guinness starts.
This isn’t just a semantic argument either. Statements like this could make movies happen. We already know that several characters within the Star Wars universe are going to get spinoff films, and we have reason to believe that Obi-Wan is one of the characters that’s at least being considered for a film (or perhaps even a film series). There was word that McGregor was already talking to Disney about bringing the character back, so if that rumor was true, this might even be a silent confirmation that these movies are coming. Even if the rumor’s of standalone Obi-Wan movies weren’t true yesterday, let's hope they are now. If McGregor is willing to reprise the role, why wouldn’t you make movies about the "missing years" of this popular character?
The timing is perfect to make movies that follow the prequel trilogy but are set prior to A New Hope. It’s been 10 years since Revenge of the Sith was released, which makes everybody recognizably older even without special effects or makeup. In the same way that both Han Solo and Harrison Ford have aged prior to The Force Awakens, McGregor is the perfect age to pick up a character several years after the final scenes of Sith but several years prior to meeting a teenge Luke Skywalker.
If Obi-Wan movies do come to pass they’ll join other spinoffs already planned, like the upcoming Rouge One as well a film dedicated to Boba Fett and possibly one for Han Solo. There’s a distinct lack of kick-ass Jedi in that mix, so here’s to hoping McGregor and Disney make this happen. As with all the new Star Wars films, we will be cautiously optimistic until we finally start to see them this holiday.
